2 
Indian Forest Records. [VoL. IX 
The scheme of operations included study of the following methods 
and practices : — 
(1) Seasoning in the log on land and in water followed by con- 
version and subsequent seasoning. 
(2) Seasoning in the standing trees girdled for various periods. 
then felled, converted, and subjected to further season- 
ing. 
(3) Seasoning of timber converted from green logs and piled 
on land and in water for various periods. 
(4) Stacking of timber under cover and in the open. 
(5) Felling trees at different seasons of the year. 
(6) Coating ends of logs vith various compounds to prevent 
splitting. 
(7) Removing bark from logs to decrease damage by insects. 
Thirty-three species were subjected to test in six provinces typi- 
cal of the various climatic extremes of British India. Analysis of 
the results of the preliminary woi’k is unnecessary in this report inas- 
much as the data have already been dealt with previously, but the 
two notes may well be studied together. It is quite to the point to 
emphasize in passing that as a result of the first study it was con- 
cluded that about 94 per cent, of the species dealt with should be 
seasoned either by girdling or by the conversion of green logs, with 
or without subsequent immersion in water, and that seasoning in the 
log gave good results with only a few species. It was found that pro- 
tection against the sun and rain was essential both for soft woods 
and hard woods in order to eliminate the cracking and decay. The 
effectiveness of coating the ends of logs with a moisture-resistant 
material varied with the species. In some cases cracking was elimi- 
nated or reduced, while in others severe splitting occurred in spite of 
the end-coating. In general, the removal of the bark from logs held 
for seasoning reduced the damage done by insects, but increased the 
amount of cracking. The benefits derived from this practice depend- 
ed to a large extent upon the species — whether the wood was more 
susceptible to damage by cracking or by insects. No definite con- 
clusions wei’e arrived at as regards the effect of the time of cutting 
upon the ultimate seasoning of the timber. 
[ ^48 ] 
